The Senate on this Tuesday passed without delay to a bill that will mandate the disclosure of case documents related to the deceased pedophile Jeffrey Epstein, after a almost unanimous vote in the lower house and a change of position by the president and his GOP allies. The White House changed course after an extended period of trying to block the cross-party initiative involving a scandal that has dogged the president since his comeback to the White House.
Unanimous Passage in Both Chambers
The Senate acted by unanimous consent, which needs acceptance from each senator but does not require a recorded vote, speeding up the process. Hours earlier, the House passed by a huge margin the bill on a massive majority.
Citizens have waited long enough. The survivors have waited long enough,” the Senate Democratic leader stated in a address to the chamber on Tuesday, before asking the Senate to pass it unanimously. “Uncover the facts. Allow openness to prevail.”
Presidential Signature
This legislation next heads to Donald Trump for his approval. The president stated on Monday that he would sign the measure.
Even though the president has for months rejected the uproar over the government’s handling of the Epstein case as a “Democrat hoax”, he voiced approval for the legislation over the weekend, and said he would give his assent if it reaches his desk.
Reaction
Opposition lawmakers, along with survivors of Epstein and their supporters who were watching from a House gallery, cheered after the bill was enacted. The only opposition came from a Louisiana Republican, who expressed concern he feared the measure would disclose specific data of witnesses, persons of interest and others implicated in the investigation.
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